Income-Based Disparities in Financial Burdens of Medical Spending Under the Affordable Care Act in Families With Individuals Having Chronic Conditions.

ABSTRACT: This study examined income-based disparities in financial burdens from out-of-pocket (OOP) medical spending among individuals with multiple chronic physical and behavioral conditions, before and after the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) implementation in 2014. Using the 2012-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, we studied changes in financial burdens experienced by nonelderly U.S. populations. Financial burdens were measured by (1) high financial burden, defined as total OOP medical spending exceeding 10% of annual household income; (2) health care cost-sharing ratio, defined as self-paid payments as a percent of total health care payments, excluding individual contributions to premiums; and (3) the total OOP costs spent on health care utilization. The findings indicated reductions in t

SUBMITTER: Xu WY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6713966 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature